Card-sorting device



Oct. 10, 1950 A. w. FEIERTAG 2,525,405

CARD soa'rmc. DEVICE Filed June 14, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F I 6.2INVENTOR.

, flan/w: V14 Fz/zem 0a. 10, 1950 A. w. FEERTAG 2,525,405

" CARD SORTING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Oct. 10, 1950 A. w. FEIERTAG 2,525,405

CARD SORTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 14, 1948 Patented Oct.10, 1950 CARD-SORTING DEVICE Arthur W. Fciertag, Athens, Ohio, assignorto The McBee Company, Athens, Ohio, a corporation Application June 14,1948', Serial No. 32.932

Claims.

The present invention pertains to devices for sorting cards, and moreparticularly to the selective sorting of marginally perforated cards.Cards of the typereferred to are provided along one or more edges withone or more rows of perforations which are grouped and identified bysuitable indicia to represent desired classifications. In practice, oneor a plurality of these perforations are notched or slotted out totheedge of the card, forming a pattern of notches or slots pertaining to asingle classification. Such notched and slotted cards may be selectivelysorted by passing one or more sorting rods through selected perforationsof a group of cards, which perforations represent the desiredclassification. By then permitting the cards having notches or slotscoinciding with the perforations penetrated by the rod or rods todisengage from the latter, while the remainder of the cards remainsuspended therefrom, the cards of one or more selected classificationsare sorted from a stack of cards. 7

It is an object of the present invention to provide a card sortingdevice of the character described which is readily and easily assembledand disassembled and can be readily and easily folded into a compactcondition for shipment or storage.

It is a further object of the invention to pro" vide an apparatus of thecharacter described having means for lockin different operative partsthereof in suitable positions for the various operations.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from theensuing description and the appended claims.

The apparatus of the invention will be better understood by reference tothe accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings:

Fig 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the invention inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing how the apparatus may be folded upfor ease of storage and shipment.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing-in full lines the apparatus afterstacking the cards and also showing, in broken lines, the position ofthe apparatus for removin selected cards.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed view of a notched card, such as aresorted by the apparatus of this invention.

Fig. 5' is a plan view, partly in section, of the apparatus of theinvention.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation, partly broken away, i

of the selector mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line ll of Fig. 5.

Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged, fragmentary, detailed views taken along thelines 8-8, and 9-i of Fig. '7, respectively.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, detailed fragmentary view along the line lo-loof Fig. 5.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings,

the main structural elements of the apparatus are a base i, supporting aback or frame 2, which, in turn, supports a card tray 3 and a selectormechanism 4. Base l is in the form of a dishlike structure having a mainor bottom portion 9, front and rear flanges l0 and l l, respectively,and side flanges l2 having horizontal outwardly turned top portions.Base 1 is also provided with beads go for reinforcement, and at the rearwith upwardly extending brackets I3 on opposite sides of the base. Eachbracket i3 is provided with a slot Hi having an upper.- circular sectionl5 and a lower vertical section [6.

Tray 3 comprises a main portion or deck 20, a forward bead 2i,rearwardly extendin tabs 2.2 and rearwardly slanting brackets 23 securedto the opposite sides and rearwardly of the tray. Brackets 23are joinedat their outer ends by stop bar 24.

Back or frame 2 is provided with a main portion or face 29 bentbackwardly near the sides to provide flanges 30. On face 29 near eachedge thereof is a vertical row of horizontal slots 3!.

The top of face 29 is bent forwardly to provide a flange 32, and eachside flange 30 is cut away and extends upwardly to provide an ear 33which is separated from flange 32 by a slot E l. The bottom of face 29is bent rearwardly to provide a flange or shelf 35. Pivoted to the topof frame 2 is a member 36 bent to form a vertical extension 29a of face29 and a horizontal shelf 36a having an upwardly and outwardly turnededge portion. Shelf 36a is provided with a verticalpartition 3; and aspring 38 to receive and retain asupply of selector rods 88. Secured toeach end of vertical extension 29a and extending forwardly therefrom isan arm 39 receiving and holding a rubber grommet 40, as shown in Fig. '7and, in broken lines, in Fig. 5.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the bottom portion of each side flange 30 iscut away to provide a rearwardly curving, recessed ear 42 and above eachear i2 is a vertical, oblong slot 43. Frame 2 is pivoted to base I by akeeper bar 44, secured by nuts 45, extending through oblong slots 43 andappropriate passages in brackets I 3. Lugs 46 secured to ears 42 extendthrough and engage the sides of slots M.

The selector mechanism 4 is pivoted to frame 2 by means of arms orbrackets 50 and pivot pins the latter extending through ears 33 offlanges 30. Each bracket 50 is in the form of a sheet metal strip so cutand bent as to provide an inwardly extending flange 52 cut away at therear to provide a shoulder 53, and is further provided with an inwardlybent tab or arm 54 to receive a pivot pin 55. Selector tray 69 and theelements associatedtherewith are pivoted to brackets 56 by means of thepivot pins 55.

The apparatus is shown in operative position in Fig. 1, and is shownfolded up for storage or shipment in Fig. 2. In folding up theapparatus, it is merely necessary to raise and tilt the tray 3, usingstop bar 24 as a fulcrum, sufliciently to disengage tabs 22 from slots3|, then lower the tray until it rests upon and nests Within base I.Then frame 2 is lifted to engage the bottom of slot 43 with keeper bar44, which results in raising lugs 46 into a position such that, as frame2, pivoted on keeper bar 44 is swung forward, lugs 46 slide upwardlythrough the circular section |5 of slot I4. Frame 2 is then merely bentforward into the position shown in Fig. 2. Finally, selector 4 andbrackets'59, pivoted on pins 5|, are folded backwardly into the positionshown. In this position, shoulder 53 of bracket 59 rests adjacent tonotch 34, and all the various parts are compactly and securely broughttogether.

Selector mechanism 4 comprises a tray portion 60 which is pivoted toarms 54 by means of pivot pins 55, as mentioned above, and a head memberor selector rod actuating bar 6|. Tray 60 is defined by forward andrearward longitudinal bars '62 and 63, respectively, transverse or endbars 64, and transverse bottom bars 65. Forward bar 62 is provided withan upper row of perforations 66 and a lower row of perforations 61 shownin section in Figs. 5'and 7 and in elevation in Fig. 6. Rearward bar 63is provided with upper and lower slots 68 and 69,'respectively, inalignment with upper and lower rows of perforations 66 and 61,respectively. Head member 6| is also provided with upper and lower rowsof countersunk perforations 66a and 6111, respectively, corresponding toand in alignment with upper and lower rows of perforations 66 and 61,respectively, of forward bar 62. The countersinking of perforations 66aand 61a is more clearly shown in Fig. 7.

Head member 6| is carried by plungers 15 secured to each end of the headmember and which slide through complemental channels 16 in end bars asof tray 66. Head member 6| is also provided with a locking plate orslide 71 which is slidably secured to the face of head. member 6| by theends of plungers 15 extending through oblong slots Tia, and by means ofwashers 15a and retainers 1522. Looking plate 77 is provided with upperand lower rows of perforations 18 and 79, respectively, in alignmentwith perforations 66a and 67a, respectively, of the head member proper.Locking plate 11 is also 7 provided with an inwardly extending flange orear 80 at one end thereof, which is received within a recess 69a in headmember 6 Within recess 89a and secured between the inner side of flange86 and theadjacent side of recess 80a, is a spring 8| which normallyacts to urge locking plate Tl outwardly or to the left, as viewed inFig.5, so as to hold perforations l8 and 19 out of alignment withperforations 66a and 61a of head member 6|. Selector'rods 88, eachhaving a head 69 and an annular groove 99, are inserted throughperforations 13 and 16 of locking plate 71 and through correspondingperforations 66a and 61a of head member 6| when the latter is in closedposition, as shown by full lines in Fig. 5.

The design of the countersunk perforations 66a and 67a of head member SIand of locking plate I? is such that the selector rods can be insertedWhile locking plate 77 is in normal, unaligned position. This isaccomplished by having the perforations 66a and 611:. countersunk, asdescribed, and by designing oblong slots Tia so as to limit thedis-alignment of plate T! to a position such that it covers about halfof each perforation 66a and 61a. In this position, the selector rods 88can be inserted without moving plate 71 with fingers against spring 8!,but once the rods are inserted, slide ll is deflected to right bycountersunk holes, the locking plate 71 will engage the grooves 99 when,selector rod 88 limits in slot 68 and 69 andprevent outward movement ofthe rods until plate 'l'l is pushed or pulled to the right. This can beeasily accomplished by placing a finger at, top and bottom of side H (asshown in Fig. 6) and pulling or pushing slide to right against tensionof spring 8 The selector rods 88 are thus easily inserted, are securelylocked in place when-head member 6| is extended to inoperative position,as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, as well as during rotation of theselector mechanism, and are easily removed.

Secured to each end of head member 6| by means of bolts 91 is a cap orbumper 92, which engages the undersideof flanges or ears 52 when theselector mechanism is pivoted through 180 to its inverted postion.

Each plunger rod is provided with an annular groove 95 near its forwardend. Each groove 95, when head member 6! and plunger rods 75 are ininward, operative position, is in algnment with a recess or channel 96,within which a ball bearing 9'1, urged by a spring 98, engages theadjacent groove 95. Thus, when in inward, operative position, theplunger rods and head member are yieldably locked in place. However,when it is desired to pull head member 6| into extended, inoperativeposition, this may be readily accomplished by exertion of,v a slightpull on the head member 6 This yieldable locking means is operative tohold the head member in inward, operative position and prevent it fromfalling into the extended position as the selector mechanism is revolvedabout its axis.

The outer or rearward end of each plunger rod I5 is provided with a pin99 extending outwardly in a horizontal position, and at such a pointthat when the head member 6| and plungers 15 are in inward, operativeposition, the pins 99 clear the ends of flanges 52, so that the selectormechanism may be rotated about its horizontal axis. However, when'thehead member and the plunger rods are in extended, inoperative positionor at any intermediate position, pins 99 engage fianges 52 and thusprevent rotation of the selector mechanism.

A cushion to prevent shock, noise and jarring as the head member 6| ispulled outwardly into inoperative position, is provided by two springsH6, one of which is shown in Fig. 5 and to an enlarged scale in Fig. 10.Each of these springs is located in a recess or channel "I in an end bar64 and is secured to a pin ||2. As the head member 6| and the plungerr'odslE are pulled outwardly into inoperative position, the pins 99slide through slots H3 in the sides of end bars 64 until the pins engagethe springs H0, which serve as limit members.

In operation, the apparatus is assembled and brought into the positionshown in Fig. 1. Selector rods 88 are inserted in perforations 18 and T9of locking plate ll, thence through perforations 68a and 61a of headmember 8! and on through perforations 08 and 6'! of forward bar 62. Thenhead member Si is pulled outwardly into extended, inoperative position.Marginally punched cards I29 provided with upper and lower rows ofmarginal perforations I2! and I22, respectively, are then stacked intray 60 with their perforated margins downward. It will be noted thatcertain of the marginal perforations, such as i2 l a and 322a, are slitall the way through to the edge of the card. With cards I20 in position,and with head member Bl in extended, inoperative position and selectorrods 88 placed in the proper position, the head member BI is pushedinwardly until it abuts against bumper washer 92a and tray 69, thuspushing the selector rods through the marginal perforations of the cardsI20 and engaging their tips in slots 68 and 59 of rear bar 63 of tray68. The selector mechanism is then pivoted forwardly through an arc of180 on pivot pins 55 as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 3. Theselected cards, i. e., those engaged only by rods 88 engaging slits l2la and l22a, drop out onto the deck of tray 3 and may be removed, afterwhich the selector mechanism may be swung around into its originalposition for rearrangement of the selector rod 88 or for inserting a newstack of cards I20.

It will be apparent that the apparatus of the invention adds to themechanisms of this class, a number of advantageous features making forease of assembly and disassembly, compactness when in collapsedcondition and efficiency of operation.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes may be made in its construction by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A card selecting'apparatus comprising a vertical frame; armsextending forwardly from opposite sides of the upper portion of saidframe; a card selector mechanism pivotally supported by said arms so asto be rotatable about a horizontal axis, and comprising a tray memberdefined by bottom members, side members provided each with a passage toreceive and slidably support a rod member, a front member provided withperforations for insertion and passage of selector rods and a rearportion provided with recesses in alignment with said perforations toreceive the tips of the selector rods; a head member associated withsaid tray provided with perforations, said head member being carried byrod members slidable through said passages in the side members of thetray; and means associated with said rod members whereby the head memberis yieldably locked in place when in operative position adjacent saidfront member of the tray; and means associated with said rod membersoperative to lock the tray against rotation when the head member is inoutwardly extended, inoperative position but allowing rotation thereofwhen said head member is in operative position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said rod members isprovided with an annular groove and said tray is provided with a recessand a spring loaded member located within said recess, said springloaded member being operative to yieldably engage said groove when thehead member is in operative position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said arms isprovided with an inwardly extending flange and the outer end portion ofat least one of said rod members is provided with a projecting member solocated and of suchv length as to engage the underside of said flangewhen the head member is in inoperative position, but to clear the samewhen said head member is in operative position. I

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in combination with a locking plateslidably secured adjacent the face of said head member, said lockingplate being provided with perforations in alignment with theperforations of the head member and being further provided withyieldable means, normally operative to urge the plate to a positionwherein the perforations of the plate are out of alignment with those ofthe head member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said locking plate is provided atone end with an inwardly turned flange portion, said head memberislprovided with a recess to receive the flange portion, and a springmember is secured within said recess in such position as to bear againstthe flange portion and urge the locking plate laterally into unalignedposition.

ARTHUR W. FEIERTAG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,021,838 Kinney Apr. 2, 19121,702,994 Buckeridge Feb. 19, 1929 2,305,629 Magnuson 1 Dec. 22, 19422,331,471 Holleck Oct. 12, 1943 2,417,531 Welk Mar. 18, 1947 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 820,786 France Aug. 9, 1937

